With June being Men’s Health Month, we are excited to take part.
We get many questions all the time regarding hearing aids and how to care for them but equally know that there are many patients out there that won’t reach out for help when it’s needed – recent statistics highlight that this primarily lands on the men in our lives.
With some nice weather approaching and what is sure to be a summer spent outdoors with friends and family, we wanted to take this opportunity to help you keep your hearing aids operating in tip-top shape.
Having hearing aids are a wonderful thing, as it allows you to enjoy spending time with your friends and family to the fullest.
Hearing aids help you to improve at work and let you take on hobbies and activities you wouldn’t otherwise be able to.
Having them professionally cleaned will need to happen regularly (like you brush your teeth every day but still go to the dentist occasionally). However, in between professional cleanings, you can keep your hearing aids healthy with these basic actions.
Change Your Hearing Aids’ Filter
Often overlooked, changing your filter is a vital part of maintaining the health of your hearing aids. As wax builds up, it gets stuck to the filter which protects all the circuitry within.
We recommend changing the filter once you see the wax starting to stick to it. If this happens, then the wax is preventing your hearing aid from getting all the sound waves.
This can cause adverse effects to not only the hearing aid itself but also your hearing.
The replacement process is relatively straightforward. If it is your first time, though, I would be delighted to help you with the process until you feel comfortable doing it independently.
Battery Maintenance
If you are changing the filter in your hearing aid, then you might as well give your battery a little attention as well. Long-time wearers will tell you that leaving a battery in your device for too long can have very negative effects.
A dead battery can attract moisture to the battery compartment, and moisture is the mortal enemy of anything electronic.
When you have your battery out, be sure to carefully wipe out the battery compartment. Wipe off the replacement battery as well before inserting to ensure a nice dry environment.
It’s also a great idea to just leave the batteries out when not in use. This will prevent any buildup and will lengthen the life of your hearing aids immensely.
Speaking Of Water
Hearing aids are pretty tough pieces of technology. They are used to being in cold, dark, and damp environments. That’s what they are designed for.
Most of them are water resistant and very durable in that sense. But they are not waterproof and are not made to be submerged in water.
Avoid showers, baths, and definitely swimming while you are wearing your hearing aids. I know this may be tough with the summer upon us, but we don’t want you missing anything because you had to bring your hearing aids in for repair.
If you do get your hearing aids wet, then simply remove the battery and wipe them to dry off any moisture you can see. Then let them sit and dry. Do not use a hairdryer to try and speed up the process.
Treat Your Hearing Aids With Care
Yes, these are relatively strong devices that are built to withstand a certain amount of wear and tear. Technology has come a long way to provide us with some pretty amazing features to help us enjoy all that life has to offer.
To maintain full functionality, a little tender loving care goes a long way.
We see it all the time when a patient takes their devices for granted and with a small mistake, they can cause serious damage.
Most common are drops onto a hard floor or the ground. We recommend when you’re performing routine maintenance on your hearing aid to do it on carpet or over a soft surface.
Drops in the bathroom are common and can be very detrimental. Be sure to lay down a towel on the floor or over the counter to provide a safe landing should you lose your grip.
Bonus Advice
Any issues you may encounter I can assure you that our team of experienced hearing care specialists at Audiology on Call will be able to help.
We encourage all our patients to schedule routine cleanings to optimize the health of their hearing aid.
If you have any questions or concerns about your hearing aids’ functionality, then please give us a call right away. We have seen many small problems turn into large problems very quickly, so don’t hesitate.
We are here to help.